Historic Hercules Village (Hercules, California)

 region, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places

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*Editors Note: There has been SIGNIFICANT changes made to this area since its submission to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Roads have changed, buildings have been relocated and/or completely demolished so I have approximated the outline of the old village; cross referencing existing roads/dwellings with old records. I did my best*

The Hercules, California plant consists of 36 buildings which remain from the original plant. This represents the majority of the total buildings in this area that was the company town operated by the explosive manufacturing companies in Hercules in the 1890s-1940s. Because of the necessity of locating explosive manufacturing plants in remote areas, housing for key employees in close proximity to the plant was usually a necessity. Numerous explosives manufacturing companies erected plant villages such as Hercules.

One of the important features of the plant was the Hercules Club, founded in 1896 by a few employees. The socializing at the Club, which still stands today, proved to be very popular with the workmen and resulted in stabilizing the work force. From time to time, the Company enlarged and improved the building and equipment, but its management has been entirely carried on by the workmen. The Hercules Hospital was established by the California Powder Works as the first hospital and resident physicians service in the American explosive trade. The building still stands today.

Hercules was the area*s most desirable community in which to live. All of the residents of Hercules were company employees. Although the number of residences and residents increased precipitously during World War I and World War II, the number averaged approximately 100 and 300 respectively. Consistent with the attitude of the times, however, no residences were afforded the hundreds of Chinese workers.

In 1903, the plant and the homes were absorbed by the DuPont company. In 1912, the DuPont holdings were dissolved by decree (Sherman antitrust) and assigned to the new Hercules Powder Company. Eventually, Hercules Powder Company became Hercules, Incorporated, and the plant began manufacturing agricultural chemicals. In spite of the changes within the industry, the town of Hercules has remained essentially unchanged for three-quarters of a century. At the turn of the century, the region in which Hercules is located, was the center of explosive manufacturing in the west.

National Register of Historic Places # 80000799